Fire fighting | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The crew was engaged in a firefighting mission in the region of Salmon, Idaho. While cruising a low height, the crew failed to realize his speed was too low when the airplane stalled and crashed in flames. The aircraft was destroyed and both crew members were killed.

Probable cause:

The crew failed to maintain flying speed. Unfavorable wind conditions and downdraft/updraft as well as inherent high risk flight operation were considered as contributing factor.

Final Report:

Crash of a Canadian Vickers PBV-1A Canso off Catalina: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jun 23, 1965

Type of aircraft:

Canadian Vickers PBV-1 Canso (OA-10 Canso)

Operator:

Newfoundland & Labrador Forestry Service

Registration:

CF-OFJ

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Fire fighting

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

MSN:

CV-315

YOM:

1944

Location:

Catalina

Newfoundland & Labrador

Country:

Canada

Region:

North America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew was engaged in a fire fighting mission in Little Catalina, Newfoundland. While completing a scooping manoeuvre, the seaplane went out of control and sank into the Catalina Bay. A pilot was killed while the second occupant was injured. The aircraft was lost.

Crash of a Canadian Vickers PBV-1A Canso A near Pierrelatte

Date & Time: Jul 4, 1964

Type of aircraft:

Canadian Vickers PBV-1 Canso (OA-10 Canso)

Operator:

Registration:

F-ZBAR

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Fire fighting

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

MSN:

CV-449

YOM:

1944

Flight number:

Pélican Rouge

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew was engaged in a scooping mission on the Donzère-Mondragon Canal located near Pierrelatte. While taking off, the nose gear door opened due to a technical failure. Water entered the gear bay and control was lost. The seaplane veered to the right then struck the bank before coming to rest partially submerged. Both pilots were uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

Failure of the torque tube on the nose gear caused the unexpected opening of the nose gear door while taking off.

Crash of a Douglas B-26C Invader in Roosevelt: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jun 28, 1964 at 1500 LT

Type of aircraft:

Douglas A-26 Invader

Operator:

Moseley Aviation

Registration:

N8037E

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Fire fighting

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Deer Valley - Deer Valley

Location:

Roosevelt

Arizona

Country:

United States of America

Region:

North America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The pilot, sole on board, departed Deer Valley to take part to a firefighting mission near Roosevelt. While flying at low height and starting a swath run, the airplane struck the ground and crashed. The pilot was killed.

Probable cause:

The exact cause of the accident could not be determined.

Final Report:

Crash of a Grumman S-2F-1 near Valguarnera: 2 killed

Date & Time: Apr 11, 1964 at 2000 LT

Type of aircraft:

Grumman S-2 Tracker

Operator:

Registration:

MM144703

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Fire fighting

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Sigonella - Sigonella

MSN:

664

YOM:

1958

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew was engaged in a fire fighting mission in the center of Sicily. As the mission was over, the crew was returning to his base at Sigonella NAS when, cruising by night at an insufficient altitude, the twin engine aircraft struck the slope of a mountain located near the village of Valguarnera. The wreckage was found few hours later and both pilots were killed.
Crew:
1st Lt Giancario Napolitano,
1st Lt Arnaldo Pala.

Crash of a Martin JRM-3 Mars on Mt Moriarty: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jun 23, 1961

Type of aircraft:

Martin JRM-3 Mars

Operator:

Forest Industries Flying Tankers

Registration:

CF-LYJ

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Fire fighting

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

MSN:

9265

YOM:

1946

Location:

Mt Moriarty (Vancouver Island)

British Columbia

Country:

Canada

Region:

North America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While taking part to a fire fighting mission in the region of Parksville, Vancouver Island, the airplane struck the slope of Mt Moriarty located north of Fourth Lake. The airplane was destroyed and all four crew members were killed.

Probable cause:

It is believed the accident was the consequence of a failure of the water drop mechanism, which left the aircraft too heavy to climb quickly enough to avoid the mountain. However, no definite cause has officially been documented for this accident.

Crash of a Grumman S-2F-1 Tracker off Laveno: 2 killed

Date & Time: Sep 11, 1960 at 1330 LT

Type of aircraft:

Grumman S-2 Tracker

Operator:

Registration:

MM136557

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Fire fighting

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

MSN:

466

YOM:

1958

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The twin engine aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances into Lake Maggiore off Laveno, killing both crew members who were involved in a fire fighting mission.

Crash of a Beechcraft AT-11 Kansan in Yuba City

Date & Time: Jul 11, 1960

Type of aircraft:

Beechcraft AT-11 Kansan

Operator:

Registration:

N6957C

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

5076

YOM:

1943

Location:

Yuba City

California

Country:

United States of America

Region:

North America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While conducting a firefighting mission in the region of Yuba City, the crew was forced to attempt an emergency landing for unknown reason. The twin engine aircraft crash landed in canyon and came to rest in flames. While both occupants were evacuated safely, the aircraft was destroyed by fire.

Crash of a Beechcraft AT-11 in Red Bluff

Date & Time: Dec 1, 1959

Type of aircraft:

Beechcraft AT-11 Kansan

Operator:

Aero Atlas

Registration:

N6962C

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Fire fighting

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Red Bluff - Red Bluff

MSN:

4565

YOM:

1943

Flight number:

Tanker 27

Location:

Red Bluff

California

Country:

United States of America

Region:

North America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane was engaged in a firefighting mission under call sign Tanker 27. Shortly after takeoff from Red Bluff Airport, while in initial climb, an engine failed. The airplane stalled, struck trees and crashed in flames. Both crew members escaped while the aircraft was destroyed by fire.

Probable cause:

Engine failure during initial climb.